# US 7,744,440 B2 · Method of growing carbon nanotubes and method of manufacturing field emission device using the same > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 7,744,440 B2 - Document ID: US7744440B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 11/476,654 - Filed: 2006-06-29 - Published: 2010-01-14 - Granted: 2010-06-29 - Earliest claimed: 2005-12-13 - Assignees: Samsung SDI Co., Ltd. - Inventors: Ha-Jin Kim; Sang-Mock Lee - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US7744440B2 ## CPC - B01J 37/0244: {Coatings comprising several layers} - B01J 23/38: of noble metals - B01J 23/74: Iron group metals - B01J 33/00: Protection of catalysts, e.g. by coating - B01J 37/347: {Ionic or cathodic spraying; Electric discharge} - B82Y 30/00: Nanotechnology for materials or surface science, e.g. nanocomposites - B82Y 40/00: Manufacture or treatment of nanostructures - C01B 32/16: Preparation - H01J 9/025: {of field emission cathodes} - H01J 2201/30469: Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) - B01J: CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROCESSES, e.g. CATALYSIS OR COLLOID CHEMISTRY; THEIR RELEVANT APPARATUS - B82Y: SPECIFIC USES OR APPLICATIONS OF NANOSTRUCTURES; MEASUREMENT OR ANALYSIS OF NANOSTRUCTURES; MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF NANOSTRUCTURES - C01B: NON-METALLIC ELEMENTS; COMPOUNDS THEREOF; {METALLOIDS OR COMPOUNDS THEREOF NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASS C01C} - H01J: ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS (spark-gaps H01T; electric arc lamps H05B31/00; particle accelerators H05H) ## Abstract A method of growing carbon nanotubes and a method of manufacturing a field emission device using the same is provided. The method of growing carbon nanotubes includes steps of preparing a substrate, forming a catalyst metal layer on the substrate to promote growing of carbon nanotubes, forming an inactivation layer on the catalyst metal layer to reduce the activity of the catalyst metal layer, and growing carbon nanotubes on a surface of the catalyst metal layer. Because the inactivation layer partially covers the catalyst metal layer, carbon nanotubes are grown on a portion of the catalyst metal layer that is not covered by the inactivation layer. Thus, density of the carbon nanotubes can be controlled. This method for growing carbon nanotubes can be used to make an emitter of a field emission device. The field emission device having carbon nanotube emitter made of this method has superior electron emission characteristics. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of growing carbon nanotubes, comprising: preparing a substrate; forming a catalyst metal layer on the substrate, an activity of the catalyst layer promoting growing of carbon nanotubes; forming an inactivation layer on the catalyst metal layer to reduce the activity of the catalyst metal layer, the inactivation layer including a plurality of inactivation lumps, each of the inactivation lumps being separated with a predetermined gap from another of the inactivation lumps; growing carbon nanotubes from a surface of the catalyst metal layer. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, comprised of the step of preparing the substrate including a step of forming a silicon layer on the substrate. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, comprised of the inactivation layer being made of a material including a fullerene. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The method of claim 3, comprised of the fullerene including a fullerene C60. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, comprised of the step of forming the inactivation layer including a process of electron beam evaporation. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the carbon nanotubes are grown using a thermal chemical vapor deposition method or a plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition method. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the catalyst metal layer is formed of a material selected from the group consisting of nickel, iron, cobalt, platinum, molybdenum, tungsten, yttrium, gold, palladium, and alloys thereof. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the catalyst metal layer is formed by a magnetron sputtering method or an electron beam evaporation method. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, comprised of the carbon nanotubes being grown on a portion of the surface of the catalyst metal layer that is not covered by the inactivation lumps. ### Claim 10 A method of manufacturing a field emission device, comprising: preparing a panel that includes a substrate, a negative electrode formed on the substrate, a gate electrode insulating layer formed on the negative electrode, and a gate electrode formed on the gate electrode insulating layer; forming a well through the gate electrode and the gate electrode insulating layer until the negative electrode is exposed at a bottom of the well; forming a catalyst metal layer on the negative electrode, an activity of the catalyst layer promoting growing of carbon nanotubes; forming an inactivation layer on the catalyst metal layer to reduce the activity of the catalyst metal layer, the inactivation layer including a plurality of inactivation lumps, each of the inactivation lumps being separated with a predetermined gap from another of the inactivation lumps; and forming a carbon nanotube emitter by growing carbon nanotubes from a surface of the catalyst metal layer. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, comprised of the inactivation layer being made of a material including a fullerene. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, comprised of the fullerene including a fullerene C60. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, comprised of the step of forming the inactivation layer including a process of electron beam evaporation. ### Claim 14 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein the carbon nanotubes are grown using a thermal chemical vapor deposition method or a plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition method. ### Claim 15 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein the catalyst metal layer is formed of a material selected from the group consisting of nickel, iron, cobalt, platinum, molybdenum, tungsten, yttrium, gold, palladium, and alloys thereof. ### Claim 16 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein the catalyst metal layer is formed by a magnetron sputtering method or an electron beam evaporation method. ### Claim 17 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, comprised of the carbon nanotubes being grown on a portion of the surface of the catalyst metal layer that is not covered by the inactivation lumps. ### Claim 18 A method of manufacturing a field emission device, comprising: preparing a panel that includes a substrate, a negative electrode formed on the substrate, a silicon layer formed on the negative electrode, a gate electrode insulating layer formed on the silicon layer, and a gate electrode formed on the gate electrode insulating layer; forming a well through the gate electrode and the gate electrode insulating layer until the silicon layer is exposed at a bottom of the well; forming a catalyst metal layer on the silicon layer, an activity of the catalyst layer promoting growing of carbon nanotubes; forming an inactivation layer on the catalyst metal layer to reduce the activity of the catalyst metal layer, the inactivation layer including a plurality of inactivation lumps, each of the inactivation lumps being separated with a predetermined gap from another of the inactivation lumps; and forming a carbon nanotube emitter by growing carbon nanotubes from a surface of the catalyst metal layer, the carbon nanotubes being grown on a portion of the surface of the catalyst metal layer that is not covered by the inactivation lumps.